Origin of bootleg

1625–35, Americanism; boot1 + leg; secondary senses arose from practice of hiding a liquor bottle in the leg of one's boot

OTHER WORDS FROM bootleg

boot·leg·ger, noun

Words nearby bootleg

bootjack, bootlace, bootlace fungus, bootlace worm, bootle, bootleg, bootleg play, bootlegged, bootless, bootlick, bootloader

Words related to bootlegging

infringement, plagiarism, theft, piracy, smuggling, trafficking, hide, export, rapine, stealing, swashbuckling, swag, goods, violation, crime, plunder, stuff, moonshine, dealing, poaching

Example sentences from the Web for bootlegging

British Dictionary definitions for bootlegging

bootleg
/ (ˈbuːtˌlɛɡ) /

verb -legs, -legging or -legged

to make, carry, or sell (illicit goods, esp alcohol)

noun

something made or sold illicitly, such as alcohol during Prohibition in the US
an illegally made copy of a CD, tape, etc

adjective

produced, distributed, or sold illicitly bootleg whisky; bootleg tapes

Derived forms of bootleg

bootlegger, noun

Word Origin for bootleg

C17: see boot 1, leg; from the practice of smugglers of carrying bottles of liquor concealed in their boots